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Book Details:
Book Title: Letters to Jacob: Grieving the Loss of a Child by Maria Hopfgarten
Category: Adult Non-Fiction (18+), 138 pages
Genre: Self-Help / Grief and Bereavement
Publisher: Amazon
Release Date: July 2021
Content Rating: G – (It’s general content, no sex at all)
Book Description:
“If you have lost a child, you know you’re weathering the largest storm life can bring you. I hope that my words of loss, tears, punches, smiles, friendships, and renewed happiness can give you a sense of not being along on this journey.”
Maria Hopfgarten’s son Jacob was born on January 31, 2006. He was the most perfect baby boy she had ever seen. But Jacob had devastating health issues, culminating in a diagnosis of mitochondrial disease, a fatal condition.
In the ten short years of Jacob’s life, Maria found strength in blogging about Jacob’s life. Her raw, honest posts from the year after Jacob’s passing have been gathered into this book along with Maria’s tips for parents coping with their own grief after losing a child.
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MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
I can’t even pretend to imagine what it is like to loose a child, though I know many people who have gone through this horrific time in their like. I have a lot of respect for author Maria Hopfgarten for sharing her story with the world. I am sure many will find peace and hope in reading Letters to Jacob. I like that Hopfgarten doesn’t dwell on the negative things but cherishes every special moment she had with her son. This is not an easy book to read. The heartbreak, the raw heart wrenching emotions, the grief, so much grief. But in the middle of it all there was the joy, the love and devotion to their precious boy. This is one memoir that you don’t want to miss reading. For yourself, or for someone you know. Letters to Jacob: Grieving the Loss of a Child by Maria Hopfgarten would be a really nice book to gift to someone you know who is grieving the loss if a child. I encourage you to read this special book about Jacob and the wonderful ten years of life he had with his family. There is no way someone can heard this precious book and not be affected by it in some way. This one is Five Stars for me.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
SPECIAL GUEST POST
BY Maria Hopfgarten
Moments of Joy
In Letters to Jacob, you will follow me the year after I lost my son to mitochondrial disease. It’s a raw personal story about love and loss and how you take a step at a time forward after weathering the largest storm life can offer you. I am also giving practical advice on how to cope with grief or supporting someone experiencing grief.
The one thing that still leaves me five years after losing my son are the simple moments of joy we had together. Jacob never uttered a word or sat on his own, but the boy sure knew how to enjoy life’s daily moments. In many ways, being Jacob’s mom was the simplest and most gratifying job there is. Giving Jacob a bath was always a moment of joy. He loved bath time, and the ritual following the bath. I always gave him a massage as I was smothering him in body lotion. I knew his tense spots. The smell of cleanliness and pureness filled the room. I always carefully picked his outfit of the day and loved dressing Jacob in matching shirt and pants and fun cozy socks. I then brushed his thick hair, and in between care I always found time for cuddles and kisses. This was one of those times when Jacob often vocalized from the top of his lungs because he was simply happy and relaxed. After bath time was done, it was time for him to eat breakfast and he often took a nap after he finished his food. How I loved that morning routine.
Today, I often think back on those simple but beautiful moments I got to share with my son. It gave me a lot of meaning. It stops me in my busy tracks to ensure I smell a flower, take in the scenery around me, and truly stay in the moment of a conversation, or take a long breathe as I am sipping my coffee in the morning. It’s all simple ways to feel joy.
Meet the Author:
Maria Hopfgarten began her blog Moments with Jacob in 2009, writing about Jacob’s life with mitochondrial disease. She had followers around the globe. Maria continued to write blog posts to Jacob after he passed in 2016 to make sense of the loss of her son. Jacob was 10 years old. She has now turned part of the blog into the book “Letters to Jacob,” sharing her raw, honest first-hand experience on grieving the loss of a child.
Maria is the President of the non-profit Miracles for Mito and has been supporting families living with mitochondrial disease for over a decade. She has also been an active Parent Partner at Children’s Hospital Colorado and has been a Parent voice for many chronically ill children. Maria also sits on the Patient Safety Committee of the Board at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
Originally from Sweden and with a degree in Journalism from Stockholm University, Maria lives with her husband Joakim, daughter Sarah, and rescue dog Max in Colorado. Her favorite thing to do is to share a good cup of coffee or glass of wine with a friend. Maria loves the outdoor and is always up for a bike ride or hike.
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Enter the Giveaway:
Letters to Jacob: Grieving the Loss of a Child Book Tour Giveaway
splashesofjoy 
Nov 09, 2021 @ 22:04:43
Thank you for this wonderful review! It was not hard to find joy living with Jacob! He put life in perspective quite easily. Thanks again for your detailed review, and sharing Jacob with me. Love, Maria.
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